Tuesday, June 9, 2009

When Righteous Desires Fail


One of the big problems that keeps us from living in Truth is that sometimes we think that what we want is the only acceptable outcome for the future. This is especially true when what we want is in accordance with teachings of the gospel. For example, we want to be married, we want to have children, we want to have a happy marriage, we want to serve a mission, we want our children to be righteous, etc. Those are righteous desires and yet they are not always the verity of life—the Truth.

What we have to realize is that God’s ways are not our ways. He sees and orchestrates things from a different (make that better!) perspective. As He tells us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9). Therefore, our responsibility is to trust in God and understand that if we “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing . . . all things shall work together for [our] good” (D&C 90:24).

Therefore, instead of moving into the realm of Illusion and experiencing pain when our righteous desires are not fulfilled, we should pray and ask God what He intends by this experience. What is it He wants you to do in your situation? Are you to stand as a witness for Him through this trial? Is He putting you in a position to help others with a similar trial? Is He preparing you for something better? Is this trial intended to make you stronger? What is the good you are to accomplish because of your situation?

Living in Truth is living with what is, not with what we want EVEN if what we want is a righteous desire.

9 comments:

Becky Rose said...

Thank you for addressing this! Thanks for the comment on my blog.

Becky Rose said...

also: I've posted this on my blog. I found it on another blog.

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. -Joseph Campbell.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.

From someone I have never met named Heidi:

We came to accept that _____________________ was not part of the plan. That the Lord had other plans for us. This was not plan B. This was always the Lords plan A. It just took us a while to see that.

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Beck, Thank you so much for the wonderful quotes you added. I especially like the Campbell quote.

Anonymous said...

Very well said and one of life's most important truths. Thank you.
Cathie

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Cathie, You are wonderful! Thanks for the kind remarks.

Wendi said...

These last two posts have been especially helpful for me. Thanks so much for sharing them. :)

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Wendi, I'm glad you liked them. You are always so kind. xoxo

Martha said...

Thank you, Sherrie!

Sherrie Mills Johnson said...

Martha, Thank you!! And God bless you! xoxo